Kahn on...

KSTP 1500 AM radio just played a taped interview their afternoon show did with David Kahn, who once again wasn't at a loss for words.

Here are some of the things he told my newspaper colleague Patrick Reusse and Phil Mackey:

* Michael Beasley smoked too much pot in Miami, but he's a changed man now. Make that, changed young man.

"He's a very young and immature kid who smoked too much marijuana and has told me that he's not smoking anymore," Kahn said, "and I told him that I would trust him as long as that was the case."

* On being something of a youtube sensation for a contentious NBA TV interview with Chris Webber from NBA Summer League last week: "He's kind of a schmuck, isn't he? Methinks that he spent a lot of time on NBA TV with a former Timberwolves person and he seemed to come into the interview with an agenda. Tough questions are fine, but I felt like he was a little defensive about some of the things."

* European center Nikola Pekovic will be "signed here shortly" and called him a 6-10, 275-pound "real brute" and "almost the kind who'd kick sand in somebody's face at the beach."

* He likened just-signed Luke Ridnour's veteran presence to Brian Cardinal and Damien Wilkins' leadershipm but with a big difference: He'll play a lot.

"I think it's important to have not only a veteran presence, but somebody who's playing significant, steady minutes," Kahn said. "It's easier to lead rather than just from the locker room."

* Asked about who'd win a game of H-O-R-S-E on a team that seemingly has significantly improved its shooting, he said, "It'd be hard (to pick a winner). We have a lot of good shooters, but I wouldn't discount Bill Laimbeer. Bill can still shoot it."

Jerry Zgoda missed the entire Kevin Garnett era, but he's back covering the Timberwolves after working the beat for their first four seasons two decades ago. In between, he covered a bit of everything: Gopher men's and women's basketball and NCAA athletics, golf, outdoor recreation, sports media and a little Vikings and Twins.